I am so glad that you got to see my pictures. Now I just hope that my other friends, Oceanna and Willows might happen to come along and also see them. As a young man I worked as a radio operator and weather observer in some pretty remote places in northern Quebec. In a way it was a lonely time with few people to talk to, so I spent a lot of time observing and photographing 'nature'. I had a 35mm Argus C3 then, quite primitive by today's standards with the maximum speed of three hundredth of a second. Alas only the Kodachromes have survived. Some scenes are from the east coast of Hudson Bay in winter and summer, and the slides have been scanned into the computer.Stephen

Very nice Fargo, I am hoping some of them will pop in and you can start sharing once again. I'm not sure which type of radio operator you were referring to, but I am a licensed Amateur Radio Operator since about 1984 or so.

I only have a Canon Digital that I bought about 6 years ago but still like it. MOst cell phones have more megapixels than my camera (which is just 6mp) but I like it. It is a Digital SLR so I like the time lapse I can do and stuff.

We have more in common than one would suspect when you mention 'ham' radio. But first I will answer your question about being a radio operator. In my youth one could train as a radio operator and find work on a ship or with the Federal government. I chose the latter and worked at airports (Aeronautical), coast stations (Marine), and land stations as an operator and weather observer.

I was also a licensed amateur for a short time way back when. Then I became interested in it again just lately and got my license re-instated Ve3nsm and listen in mostly to the 'Net' of the local amateur club on 2 meters. I also try to keep my code up by listening to the practice sessions of W1aw. Who was it that said- 'it is indeed a small world' 73.

Last edited by fargo on Sun Feb 17, 2013 7:26 pm; edited 1 time in total

Yes it is a small world Stephen. I listen to the locals on 2 meters here also. I don't have an HF Rig at the moment. We just moved to a smaller place due to financial and health reasons. We went from our large 2400 Sq Ft place with 5 acres, to a rental that is about 850 sq ft.

I have my 7 element 2 meter beam pointed in one direction (towards local repeater) on a pole out back on the porch. I left my 40' Rohn Tower as after my mild stroke I could find not one to take it down. I had my BIL climb up on a rare non-lazy day of his and take the rotor down for me.

I have been thinking of moving back to the country and getting back into HF with a wire antenna and find me a Rig. Radio has dried up in my area, hardly anyone on 2 meters except at night and early mornings.

I had a Ham Radio section on my forum for a short time, but not enough interest from the locals at the time. I may try to revive it this Summer. Great to meet another Ham out here.

We had company yesterday so could not get near the computer. Thank you for telling me more about yourself. I hope and pray that your health concerns may be brought under control.

I got my ham license about 10 years ago, about the time a friend gave me his old computer. Before that I mainly listened i.e. was an SWL (short wave listener). As my skill with the computer improved and I started playing with pictures, ham radio had to take a back seat. I do have an old CW rig the Heathkit HW-7 (hot water 7) which is a QRP low power rig on 40, 20 and 15 meters. I have a lovely brass key and a Vibroplex 'bug' and had hoped to get some qso's on forty.

About that time I too had health problems and had triple by-pass heart surgery. So that put the ky-bosh on any strenuous activity such as installing a sky-hook for the CW rig. Instead for a listening antenna I made an Arnie Coro broomstick special (Cuba amateur radio pogram). He recommends using No 16 PVC plastic covered household wire or as a second choice NO 18 'speaker wire' wound as a long coil on a broomstick, and suspended from the ceiling. It works very well for a receiving antenna and takes up little space. There is little space in my small city lot for a proper antenna, and I don't want to go to a tower now at this stage in the game. ((Arnie Coro broomstick antenna in Search brings up the information on construction).

Just finished helping my dear wife Betty (52 years of marriage) to peel some potatoes for the crockpot to add to a beef stew that she is making for supper.

Beef Stew sounds great, and I have the same job here peeling the potatoes for her.

I have pulled up the links for the broomstick and will try that out. I am going to try to do some horse trading soon with a Ham buddy and try to talk him out of one of his Rigs. I have an Alliance Rotor HD-73 that should help, and some other misc stuff left over from a few years ago.

I like slow CW and still remember my first contact in my log I keep in my desk. I have tried Packet long time ago, but I think they have far out stripped me and too far ahead for the learning curve to be worth it now. I'll stick to voice if I get back in.

We have 2 meter in the area, and I have my mobile set up as a base here in the room, but no one hardly talks anymore except in early mornings going to work, or Friday evenings when we have a "Hooty Owl Net" at 10PM CDT.

I'm enjoying the chats here. I may get with my friend in town that has a repeater, and try to start a small section back up in my forum again. :)

You are the only person who has commented on my pictures so no one else it seems has found them yet. (Hint-hint- pls click on the URL in my first message above and click on slide-show and maximize). If only people could find them, that should take care of the picture side of the discussion for awhile. Also I am wondering what management thinks of us talking about Amateur Radio on here? I had the title of the discussion amended to include Friendly Chats awhile ago when I started running out of pictures and started talking on here. If they object we could go to Email or somewhere else.

Ron, there is a limit as to what to talk about in 'haming'. As you can see I am not an active amateur and am not up on all of the latest trends and equipment. I suscribe to a Canadian publication called The Canadian Amateur, which has some interesing information in it. So I am not a dyed-in-the-wool amateur that lives and breathes 'haming' like some people I know.

I have an amateur friend who is an electrical engineer (he gave me his old computer and helped me to get my licence back). He arranged for me to have a Kenwood 2 meter transceiver the (TM-2550A), and he refurbished my old 2 meter antenna that is mounted in my garage. It has a halo configuration and seems to be effective up there as I can hit several repeaters in my area.

I noticed that you have listed computers, Forums and poetry as some of your interests. When I was still able to garden, that was a great interest of mine, and playing with pictures on the computer is a close second. So between us there is quite a choice of subjects to talk about on here, if anyone would like to join us. Don't get me wrong I do appreciate that you have talked to me, it is just that I am looking at the big picture.

I actually forgot this was Photo's and Chat. My apologies. I'm sure that Admin's won't mind us chatting about anything we like as that is activity. I need to get my camera out and do some pictures more.

We'll scratch around and see if we can get in some other areas here in the forum and learn some stuff from Durgan, who is light years ahead of me in plant/gardening. I do not have a green thumb, but hope to grow some simple vegetables this year like I did a couple years ago.

I don't know if it is the same down your way, but up here in Toronto Canada, the local Amateur Radio Club puts on a hamfest or fleamarket each spring. They rent space in a huge building at the fairgrounds and install rows and rows of tables. There are people selling radios, electronics and computers, and all sorts of things related to the hobby. The dealers are there too, offering discounts on new equipment. The equipment builders have a field day looking over the used equipment and picking up parts that they need.

It is truly a fun place and a fun time. The members of the radio clubs are bound to show up with their call letters prominantly displaced and they greet both old and new friends with lots of enthousiasm. The ladies have been busy making tea and coffee and sandwiches and burgers and hot dogs. There is usually a draw or two and for a small fee you can get your name put in a draw.

I wish I could quote the amateur's creed but it goes something like this, a radio amateur is friendly and resourceful and a willing helper if needed by his community.

It has been such a long time since we talked. It doesn't mean that I have forgotten you. I often wonder how you are and what you have been doing?

We are technically into Spring but as recently as yesterday we had some snow falling. Then the temperature went up and it all melted. I have some daffodils out in my back yard and with the first warm day, the forsythia bushes will burst into bloom.

You have been a good friend with all your comments in the past. I hope that our friendship will continue.

I have been looking at Durgan's Garden Journal for the first time. It hardly seems possible that here is a talented Canadian gardener who has been posting beautiful pictures and information on here and I never noticed it before until I saw his URL and clicked on it.

Pictures are a sad story, I never heard if my old site has ever recovered from the damage that was done to them, and if they ever got up and running again. I put a few pictures on Flickr for folks to look at.

Just to let you know that my absence was not intentional on here, I have been ill since June with a severe arthritis problem in my legs. Spent some time in the hospital and now going to rehab for exercises. Still using a walker to get around.